felt extremely young, and was conscious of redness creeping up to his
ears. But then, they were quite as red, he reflected; and, after all, as
Hilda said, he was two years older than these boys, and if they really
were all she made them out to be--why--

So it was a very different-looking Jack who advanced to meet the
embarrassed boys at the gate. It was perhaps the first time in his young
life that Gerald had been embarrassed, and he found the sensation
unpleasant.

Before any of them could speak, however, a joyous whoop was heard from
another quarter. Hugh had been investigating an old nest, and had just
caught sight of the friends from Pumpkin House. He came running now, his
face alight with welcome.

"Oh, Jerry! How do you do? How _do_ you do, Phil? I am very well, thank
you! Do you know my Jack? Because he has come home; and he is almost the
dearest person in the world. And he has grown up his own beanstalk, he
says, and that is what makes him so tall. And he has brought me the most
beautiful soldiers that ever were, and we are going to have battles,
even the prancings, the prancings of their mighty ones! Hurrah!"

"Hurrah it is!" said Jack. "How d'ye do?" And he held out his hand
cordially enough. "Awfully good of you to bring the skates! Come in,
won't you, and see my father and my uncle?"

"Didn't know whether you liked Acmes or Clubs," said Gerald, "so I
brought both. Clubs are the best, we all think."

"So do I! These are just right, I think. Awfully good of you, I'm sure!
You ought to see the things they wear in Germany; like the old ones
Uncle Tom has hanging up in that trophy in the hall."

Chatting cheerfully, they moved on towards the house, taking note of one
another as they went. Jack found the tones of the boys' voices very
clear and good, free from any nasal quality; Phil and Gerald decided
that there must be a good deal of muscle in those long, lean arms, and
that it would not be so easy to "lick" the stranger as they had thought
on first seeing him.

On Phil's remarking that his sisters and the "kids" had gone across the
fields to the pond, there to await the rest of the party, Jack said he
would be ready in three minutes, and ushered them into the library,
where the two reunited brothers were peacefully smoking together. The
Colonel received the boys most cordially, and, while Jack hurried away
to put on jersey and knickerbockers, presented them to "My brother
Raymond. Jack's father, young